Doug Scott is Quincy’s point man

Eric McHugh

Thursday

Jan 29, 2009 at 12:01 AMJan 29, 2009 at 10:57 AM

On Jan. 7, Scott became Quincy’s all-time leading scorer. Two days later the 6-foot senior guard had a game-for-the-ages against arch rival North, scoring 53 points. With six more points he’ll become the city’s all-time leading scorer

Wow. Tough crowd. Doug Scott had just finished torching North Quincy in the Red Raiders’ own gym back on Jan. 9 when his older brother Parker weaved his way through the post-game human traffic and delivered some sobering news. Parker reminded Doug that while his 53-point masterpiece that night had set a new single-game standard for Quincy High, it had merely tied the Scott family mark.

“I was” razzing him, Parker admitted with a laugh. “It was a middle school game, but I did score 53. As soon as I saw him after the game, I said, ‘You still didn’t get me.’”

Mr. Kill-joy? Maybe. But what are big brothers for, anyway, if not to keep little brothers in line?

Said Doug: “Every game he tells me, ‘Don’t settle; always look to be better.’ He always keeps me level-headed.”

If Doug wasn’t so well-grounded, that might have been a hard task this season. On Jan. 7, he became Quincy’s all-time leading scorer. Two days later he had his game-for-the-ages against arch rival North. With six more points he’ll become the city’s all-time leading scorer, breaking the mark of 1,533 points set by North Quincy’s Sara Stanton (1992-96).

Scott’s scoring prowess (averaging 29 points per game) hasn’t been enough to lift Quincy, which is scuffling a bit at 5-7. But individually this is shaping up as quite a send-off season for the 6-foot senior guard, who hopes to be balling for a Division 2 program next year.

“It’s been pretty exciting,” George Scott, the proud father, said of this season, “but I’ll tell you, he’s been an exciting player all his life ... I’m proud that he’s getting recognized for the skill that he has because he’s so much fun to watch.”

Bob Fisher certainly got a kick out of it. Fisher coached Doug Scott for his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons before taking the Marshfield High job this year and turning the Presidents over to former JV coach David Parry.

“His passion is boundless,” Fisher said of Scott. “He’s one of the top players, no question, in Eastern Massachusetts.”

Better even than his his twin 21-year-old brothers – Parker and Alex – both of whom starred at Quincy? “Yeah, definitely,” Doug said with a grin, although he did point out that Alex is a Marine and therefore can “bang me around pretty good” one-on-one.

“I don’t know where they got this sports ability,” George Scott said of his boys. “My wife says it’s from her. But it sure as heck isn’t from me.”

George said he would rather watch a movie than pick up a ball or a stick or a racket. His kids, though, have hoops entwined in their DNA. Parker said the three played every sport “but for some reason it was always basketball (first). When we were really young we’d be playing with those old Nerf hoops that you put up on a door.”

Parker and Alex had graduated to leagues by the third grade and Doug was always tagging along. “He was a little gym rat growing up,” Parker said.

Soon, Doug displayed such an aptitude for the game that Parker and Alex’s coaches would let him practice with their teams, even though he was too young to play in the games. That arrangement continued all the way through eighth grade, when Doug was a behind-the-scenes fixture at Quincy High during his brothers’ senior seasons.

The following year, as a freshman, he dropped 37 on Silver Lake in his first varsity game.

“I just remember being nervous, real nervous,” Doug said of his debut. “I think I had seven, eight points in the first half and then the second half I just came out killing it. It was crazy.”

If you like that story, ask Parry about the time he was coaching a youth-league team and Doug, then a sixth-grader, nailed 3-pointers on five straight trips down the court in a playoff game. Said Quincy High teammate Robby Bina, who was on that same team, “It was too easy for Doug back then.”

It’s looked just as easy at times this season, although Parry raves about Doug’s passing as much as his scoring, and Doug himself says, “I would rather have 20 assists than any points. Whatever it takes to win, I’ll do.”

If Quincy wants to qualify for the Division 2 South tournament this season, the Presidents will need him to keep shooting.

Memo to Parker: You’re not out of the woods yet.

Eric McHugh may be reached at emchugh@ledger.com.

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